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This project aims to document and study the Nine Emperor Gods Festival (九皇爺誕) in Singapore. It examines the history, structure, and significance of this event in the context of Singapore’s intangible heritage, not only in terms of its maritime heritage but also the heritage of the Chinese and of Chinese folk religion in Singapore.

This study will be the first of its kind to explore not only memories and oral traditions surrounding the Festival and the temples involved in the event, but also historical and contemporary accounts of the event in different forms of media. It will chart the changes and continuities in the ritual systems, institutional and organizational structures, and networks underlying the Festival. They will be understood in the context of social, cultural, and economic transformations in the history of Singapore, especially over the last few decades.